Datong : Main Scenic Spots

China's oldest sandstone carvings lie 16 km west of Datong at the foot of the Wuzhou Hills. A Buddhist monk by the name of Tan Tao supervised the carving of the grottoes during the middle Northern Wei Dynasty. The tradition of cave carving apparently moved here from Dunhuang, where the carving of the Mogao Grottoes had begun about a century before. Unlike the terra-cotta carvings at Dunhuang, the statues at Datong were chiselled out of the cave rock. Exposed to the arid elements, the Yungang Grottoes have suffered severe damage from wind and soil erosion. Still, the statues show a remarkable progression of decorative styles from Northern Wei through the Tang dynasties. Restoration work continues.

Also called the Datong Municipal Museum, this two-tiered monastery is the second largest in China. The Upper Huayan contains the Great Temple of Powerful Treasure, or Da Xiong Bao Dian, a magnificent ceremonial hall rebuilt during the 12th century. The Lower Huayan houses 29 clay statues from the Liao period as well as the Datong Museum's fossils and cultural relice.

Located in the center of town, the colorful 600-year-old Nine Dragon Screen stands 20 feet high and stretches 150 feet across. Its full length is reflected in a pool below. When a breeze touches the water, the dragons appear to writhe.

Originally built in the Tang Dynasty, the monastery contains four buildings all-dating from the 12th century. A wooden pavilion from the Liao Dynasty and relics from the Jin Dynasty remain.

The Wooden Pagoda is an absolute wooden structure with not a single nail used. The pagoda was built in the 11th century, when the region was in Khitan's reign. As one of the oldest and largest wooden structures in the world, the 97 metre high pagoda is a wonder in architecture history. << Back to Datong Info